Rolf Harris is told he has nobody to blame but himself as he is sentenced to
five years and nine months - a sentence referred to the Attorney General for
being too lenient

The 'unduly lenient' sentencing of Rolf Harris has been referred to the Attorney General after the disgraced entertainer was jailed for five-years and nine months following his conviction for indecently assaulting young girls.

The 84-year-old was found guilty earlier in the week of assaulting four girls, the youngest of who was just seven-years-old.

The judge, Mr Justice Sweeney told Harris he took advantage of the trust his victims placed in him because of his celebrity status.

He said: "You have shown no remorse at all, your reputation lies in ruins. You have nobody but yourself to blame."

Passing sentence in a packed courtroom, the judge told Harris: "For well over 50 years you have been a popular entertainer and TV personality of international standing with a speciality in children's entertainment. You are also an artist of renown.

"You have been the recipient of a number of honours and awards over the years, you have done many good and charitable works and numerous people have attested to your positive good character.

"But the verdicts of the jury show that in the period from 1969 to 1986 you were also a sex offender, committing 12 indecent assaults on four victims who were variously aged between eight and 19 at the time."

He went on: "You have shown no remorse for your crimes at all. Your reputation lies in ruins, you have been stripped of your honours, but you have no one to blame but yourself."

The jury spent eight days deliberating before returning guilty verdicts on all counts of the indictment.

The case was referred to the Attorney General after concerns were raised by a small number of members of the public.

It only takes one person to make contact for the the top lawyer to consider the punishment.

Dominic Grieve now has 28 days to decide whether any action should be taken.

Harris is likely to be sent to tough Wandsworth prison in south London, before eventually being transferred to an open jail, where he could be employed teaching art classes to other inmates.

His imprisonment completes the downfall of one of the country’s most treasured stars, who had entertained millions through a showbusiness career spanning six decades.

But it might not be the end of legal action after dozens more women came forward during and after the trial to complain if being attacked by Harris down the years.

Police in Britain and Australia are now looking at the fresh allegations and could launch fresh prosecutions if there is sufficient evidence.

Appealing for leniency, lawyers representing Harris had argued that at 84-years-old he was already on borrowed time and had been punished away from the court by being publicly shamed.

Sonia Woodley QC said he had led an "upright life" for the last 20-years, adding:"There are two sides to him and it's a fact that he has a good side to him. Yes he must be punished for the offences that he has committed but it would be unfair to ignore the good that he has done in his life.

"In the course of his 60 years in the entertainment business he has given much of his spare time freely and unstintingly to a variety of charitable causes with no complaint about his behaviour."

Outlining what Harris had been through since his arrest hit the headlines, she said: "The defendant was first interviewed by the police in December 2012 and so these matters have been hanging over his head for 18 months.

"Given his age and the state of health that he finds himself in, that period of time has had a profound effect on him."

She went on: "Once these matters became public a media frenzy surrounded him and since that time he has rarely gone out and has remained almost a prisoner in his home.

"As a man of 84 as he is he is already on borrowed time. Every day, every month, in prison is going to shorten his life."

Harris becomes the second well-known figure to be jailed under the Metropolitan Police’s Operation Yewtree, which was launched in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal.

Earlier this year Max Clifford was jailed for eight-years for a string of indecent assaults on young women.